Unless you have been living on Mars or under a rock, it's fairly obvious that Mark McGwire is the Number One Sports Personality in St. Louis these days. Look all over the area; Big Mac T-shirts, caps, cards and other items are hot sellers today.
Even the Missouri Attorney General and Senatorial wannabe Jay Nixon is getting on the McGwire bandwagon: warning everyone to let the buyer beware: there are fake Mc Gwire autographs out there.
Yes, indeed. Mark Mc Gwire owns this town. But while driving to WGNU last night to host the sports show, I wondered, if Big Mac is Numero Uno on this list, who comes in second??
Let's consider the candidates:
Brett Hull?? Oh yeah, He is headed to Dallas
Larry Hughes??? NBA bound to Philly
Anyone on the Rams??---uh, never mind!! So I posed the question to my WGNU listeners with a nomination of my own in the back of my mind.
For what it's worth, here are the results from last night, in no particular order:
Grant Fuhr: A multi-Stanley Cup Performer who resurrected his career in St. Louis.
Willie McGee: Everybody loves Willie. An event every time #51 comes to the plate.
Hale Irwin: The golfing St. Louisan who has re-written the record book on the Senior Tour.
Teri Clemens: This is a great nomination. The Washington University volleyball coach who has led the Lady Bears to many NCAA Titles
Jackie Joyner-Kersee: (my nomination) The greatest athlete produced in the St. Louis area.
After the show, my curiosity was sparked. So how about fellow readers: if you exclude Mark McGwire, who is St. Louis' top sports personality today??
Please note: by sports personality, I am only including those who are active today either playing, coaching, or in some local sports related capacity.
Heroes such as Stan Musial, Jackie Smith, Ed Macauley, Lou Brock, and Ozzie Smith are certainly in a class by themselves. But, I am excluding these legends from this poll.
So drop me a line here at this fine publication (stlsports@aol.com) with your thoughts. Please give provide your nomination and a BRIEF explanation.
We'll publish some of the better responses at a later date.
This is a very unscientific poll just for fun. Since it is for fun, there will be no prizes!!.
Besides, if I offer a Mark McGwire souvenir, how will I be certain it is not a fake!!
I'm anxiously waiting your reply.